Breast-collar for harness



(No Model.) I

L. H. HILLIS.

BREASTQGOLLA-R FOR HARNESS; N0. 299,141. Patented May 27,1884.

INVZWTOR WZWLSSES fication,

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a'rnrir rrien,

LEVI H. HILLIS, OF KOKOMO, INDIANA.

BREAST-COLLAR FOR HARNESS.

:BPBOIIE'ICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,141, dated May 27, 18 84.

Application filed January 17, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEVI H. HILLIs, a resident of Kokomo, Howard county, Indiana, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Breast-Collars for Harness, a descrip tion of which is set forth in the following specireference being made to the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like letters indicate like parts.

My invention relates to the construction of a breast-collar for harness, adjustable so as to fit different-sized horses, securely stayed from beneath, and fastened at the sides by adjustable clamps, so as to permit the breast-yoke and brace to be removed when it is desired to use the gear as asingle harness. I accomplish these results by the device herein shown and described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a portion of a horses body, showingmydevicefitted uponit,thebelly-band loosened, so as to allow the adjustable brace to be moved near the front side and brought into view. Fig. 2 is a side view of my device, and Fig. 3 is a top view of the box-loop and apart of the breast-yoke.

In detail, be is the breast collar, having buckles b fastened at each end, a metal strip,

m, having an opening through which the tongue of the buckle passes, being placed on the side of the breast-collar, and a box-loop having a strip of metal inside and against its bottom is then placed against the end of the collar and over the strip on, and screws are then driven through the collar from the inside, passing through the strip m and the box-loop bottom and metal lining,'holding the loop firmly to the breast-collar. The metal lining-strip of the loop passes beyond the loop to the buckle and over the return of the strip m, and these are secured together by another screw, also driven through the breast-collar from the inside. The front end of the metal lining of the loop is formed into the lower half of the side clamp, 80, and the outer half of this clamp has an open ing to receive the end of the neck-strapns, and the two parts of the clamp scare shaped to receive and hold the end of the breast-yoke by, the parts, when in place, being secured by a screw, by loosening which the end of the breastyoke by may be taken out, and the whole breastyoke and its appendages may be removed whenever it is desired to use the gear as asingle harness. This breast-yoke is made of meta1, and secured at each end between thehalves of the side clamps, so. In front it passes through an eye formed by the union of the halves of a metal clamp, c, united by screws on either side below the eye, and having a projection below adapted to receive the upper end of the adj ustable brace ab, which has an eye formed in it, through which a pivot, 1;, passes, and is screwed into the lower half of clamp c. This pivot allows a loose lateral movement of the adjustable brace ab. The lower end of this brace fits into a tube, t, having a set-screw, 88, by means of which the brace ab is secured at any desired point in the tube 15. An extension of this tube passes under the horse, and the end ofthe breast-strap bs is riveted to the upper and a loop to the lower side of this extension.

Through this loop the belly-band bb passes,

holding it up, and the brace ab, being thus secured at either end, keeps the breast-yoke firmly up in place, and braces it firmly in connection with the end fastenings. The breaststrap is fastened in front through aloop in the breast-collar. The neck-strap is secured in an opening to each of the side clamps, and when used is drawn back and looped over the saddie-hook.

If desired, the side clamps may be dispensed with and the breast-yoke extended and rigidly connected with the trace-buckle; but by using these clamps it is easy to remove the breastyoke and adjustable brace, slipping the bellyband through the loop, and the harness can then be used for driving single.

' I am aware that iron breast-yokes have been used in connection with breast-collars, and do not therefore broadly claim them as my invention; but I am not aware that they have ever been used and made adjustable with side clamps or in connection with an adjustable metal brace passing between the legs of the horse, as herein shown and described.

My device thus braced and secured, and pivoted so as to allow a lateral motion, is free from the objections usually made to gear of this class, and constitutes avaluable improvement over all old devices.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let* ters Patent, is the following, viz:

1. The breast yoke by,secured by side clamps,

so, to the harness-collar in the rear, said clamps adapted to be loosened to permit the removal 0f thebreastyoke, all combined substantially as described.

2. The breast-yoke by, the adjustablebrace ab, the clamp 0, connecting the two, the tube t, set-screw 88, and the belly-band bb, all combined substantially as described.

3. The box-loop bZ, provided with metal lining inside, and the breast-collar be, having a metal backing,with openings to receive screws,

' whereby the box-100p may be secured to the breast-collar without stitches, substantially as described. 

